In this article, 10 case studies of participatory river-basin management are discussed that were conducted as part of the European HarmoniCOP project. The main theme was social learning, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration, organization, and learning. Based on the analysis of all case studies, 71 factors fostering or hindering social learning were identified.

This comprehensive guide and toolkit begins by discussing stakeholder dialogue as an essential process of societal learning, necessitated as a result of the varying backgrounds, interests, priorities, levels of access and overall capabilities of different relevant stakeholders. Dialogue between the stakeholders can help to determine:

Designers of participatory learning processes in heterogeneous social contexts often encounter problems ranging from claims that the processes and their designers are negatively influenced by powerful stakeholders, to accusations of illegitimate interventions in social settings where some stakeholders are empowered relative to others.

The Institute of Development Studies has developed this document for the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA), who are a collaborative network of governments, private sector bodies and civil society organisations from seven countries around the world. Their principle aim is to increase access and affordability of good quality medicines for the world’s poorest people.